Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809 in a backwoods cabin in Hodgeville, Kentucky, to Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks. Two years later, Lincoln's sister, Sarah, was born. In 1816, the Lincoln's decided to leave Kentucky because there were overlapping land claims. Losing much money and many acres in the sale of their three farms, the Lincoln's packed up and headed for Indiana.

At one time financially comfortable, they now lived in a three walled shelter, had to survive on the wild game in the area, and had to retrieve water nearly a mile away. Within 2 short years, on October 5, 1818, Nancy Lincoln died of a violent disease known as "milk sickness," caused from milk or meat from cattle poisoned by various plants. The following year, Thomas married Sarah Bush Johnston, a widow with three children. She soon won affection and love from both Abe and Sarah.

Although Abe had about a year of formal education, he was primarily self-taught. His love of reading began at a very early age. When he was not working to help support the family, he read eveything he could get his hands one. When he was 18, his sister Sarah died while giving birth. Two years later, Abe went out on his own and soon became active in politics.

Lincoln met Mary Todd, the daugher of a prominent Kentucky banker, during his early days as an Illinois Legislator and lawyer. He was immediately taken with her intelligence, beauty, and charm. They were engaged shortly thereafter (1840). Lincoln, however, began to have second thoughts and broke off the engagement. The following year found Lincoln filled with sadness and heartache due to the loss of Mary Todd. He re-kindled their friendship and their love. They were married on November 4, 1842, with Mary's wedding band inscription being "Love is eternal."

The Lincolns went on to have four children, only one of whom reached adulthood.

His birth in a slave state notwithstanding, Lincoln had long opposed slavery. In the legislature he voted against resolutions favorable to the "peculiar institution" and in 1837 was one of two members who signed a protest against it. Elected to Congress in 1846, he attracted attention because of his outspoken criticism of the war with Mexico and formulated a plan for gradual emancipation in the District of Columbia. He was not an abolitionist, however. Conceding the right of the states to manage their own affairs, he merely sought to prevent the spread of human bondage.

Lincoln was tall and...many thought...rather homely. He even joked about it. When accused of being two-faced, he replied: "I leave it to my audience, If I had two faces, do you think I would wear this one?" On October 15, 1860, Lincoln received a letter from an 11-year-old girl who was so appalled by his appearance that she wrote a now-legendary suggestion that the hallow-cheeked, lantern-jawed candidate grow a beard. "All the ladies like whiskers and they would tease their husband's to vote for you and then you would be President." Within months, a journalist would joke: "Abe is putting on airs."

Lincoln was selected as the presidential candidate of the Republican Party in 1860. Though he won the election by carrying every Northern state, the South was furious at his anti-slavery beliefs and withdrew from the Union. Lincoln tried to prevent a war between the North and South, but when Confederate forces in South Carolina fired upon the Union-held Fort Sumter, the Civil War began.

Lincoln thus changed the racial future of the United States. It also infuriated Southern-sympathizer and Negrophobe John Wilkes Booth, who began to conspire first to abduct Lincoln and later to kill him.

One evening, Lincoln had a disturbing dream. In it he wandered around the White House, hearing people sobbing. Moving from room to room, he saw no one until he reached the East Room. In it, he saw a corpse surrounded by guards. "Who is dead in the White House?" he asked a soldier. "The President," he replied. Lincoln awoke and didn't sleep the rest of the night.

On April 14, 1865, five days after Robert E. Lee's surrender to Grant at Appomattox Court House, Lincoln attended a performance of Our American Cousin at Ford's Theatre in Washington. There Booth entered the presidential box and shot Lincoln. The next morning at 7:22 Lincoln died.